


My Lord's Disease

by snapperoni



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: AU, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Unrequited Love, sfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-14 05:10:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17502212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snapperoni/pseuds/snapperoni
Summary: Elihec AU in which Eliwood gradually develops hanahaki disease and is forced to live with it until his deathbed, and unfortunately his right-hand-man Marcus is forced to watch his lord suffer for decades.Credit to anon on tumblr who initially recommended the idea via the ask- "if ya still accept some plot ideas, ya can write something based on the hanahaki disease (if ya feel angsty lel)"





	1. Prologue

Ever since I was a young man, I have always the honor to serve under the Pherean household. Whether it be behind the castle’s impressive walls or out on the field aiding my fellow knights with border patrols, bearing the crest of Pherea on my sleeve has never once brought shame nor regret. It was through the circumstances that Lord Elbert pushed onto me that helped mold me into the man I am today, and for that it is impossible for me to fully repay him; no matter the favor nor challenge, I can never shy away from a duty milord bestows upon me.  
  
I was but the ripe age of eighteen when Lord Elbert pulled me aside one afternoon. The weather bore such indescribable radiance- a loving warmth that I would be ashamed to ever forget; I had taken what little time I allowed myself to have to bask in its light in the castle's gardens when I saw milord approach from the east gate. Lord Elbert came to me alone, a noticeable pep in his step as he strode from the gate across the cobbled pathway; my lord was perhaps in his mid-thirties, yet from his mannerisms he emulated the energy of a young knave as he attempted to conceal his apparent excitement in hopes of impressing his matured peers.  
From where I previously lounged against his porcelain fountain, I corrected my posture in an instant. I greeted my lord as per usual as I attempted to assume what task he had prepared for me.  
  
While there was very few to begin with on such a fine day as this, the clouds seemed to part a bit as the garden began to practically illuminate in sunlight, milord’s eagerness beginning to chip at my professional stature. “Marcus, I want you to meet someone.”  
  
It was was nowhere near unusual for Lord Elbert to introduce business partners to me. Despite my young age, Lord Elbert seemed to entrust me with generous importance in comparison to his more veteran soldiers. I had little to complain about however as I began to follow Lord Elbert into the castle. I had expected us to approach the war room as where it was typical for meetings to be held, but rather we took an oppository right turn, admittedly into a hallway I had vague memories of. As a knight of Pherae I was expected to memorize the castle’s layout as though I was observing my backhand, but as we furthered down the well-lit hallway, the windows graciously doing little to barricade the light from flaring the passage, I had realized I came up short in my memorizational duties. However in spite of my initial confusion, seeing various clerics and nurses briskly pace in and out of doors allowed me to conclude something quite apparent- Lord Elbert was leading me towards a nursery, presumably where his and Lady Eleanora’s newborn child was.  
  
The first thing I noticed upon Lord Elbert opening the nursery door was the smell. In truth I never bore witness to childbirth, let alone set foot in a nursery- it simply was not within my profession to do so. Frankly it was a difficult scent to describe, however I would be lying if I described it as ‘unpleasant.’ In fact, it smelt like the natural odor of how a home feels like. The next thing I took notice of was the infant bundled in a lilac blanket, cuddled closely to Lady Eleanor’s breast. I felt my shoulders slack as I focused on the child. From what little of the child was exposed, the small tufts of red hair poking out of the blanket were apparent, the vibrancy and warmth those small strands of hair produced emulating how I imagined Lord Elbert’s to appear when he was younger.  
  
Milord tugged at my arm, gleefully noticing my awe with the new family member. He urged me to approach Lady Eleanora seeingly as her own voice, for she hardly seemed to acknowledge our presence. Undoubtedly, Lady Eleanora was more than elated to introduce her child to us, but it was with that elation she directed it solely to the infant. As any well-trained knight would do, I took heed to my Lord and my Lady’s wishes and approached the ecstatic parents.  
  
“His name is Eliwood,” my Lady greeted me, her delicate fingers stroking Eliwood’s plump cheeks as he lay in her arms. I stood frozen in place, for what was I to do in such a position? Lady Eleanora clearly possessed supernatural ability as she finally looked up at me (with a notable hesitance honestly), her eyes crinkling with an unrestrained smile. “We want you to care for him.”  
  
I stood in front of milady, my mouth agape; a protest rumbled in my throat, ‘Forgive me milady, but shouldn’t this task be handled with a knight more veteran than I?’ However my actions rejected this concept as I quietly accepted her request with a nod.  
  
Up until that point, there was only three of us in the room. But Lord Elbert, just as vibrant as his (and his son’s) hair, was seldom one to let others forget he was in the room as he gripped my shoulder, turning me to face him. “Marcus,” he began with a shaky tone. Perhaps he too realized that I was not the one fit for a job as paramount as this one, but his following words rejected that concept as well. “You’ve worked under this house for nearly a decade now, and in such little time you’ve shown us how much of a reliable knight you are. Yet not only that, you’ve become quite close to Eleanora and I, haven’t you?”  
  
Lord Elbert had a fair point in his appraisal. It was unbeknownst to me how the relationship between the three of us developed, however it would not be honest of me to deny the paternal treatment I have felt from the two before me. My glance broke from milord to return to Lord Eliwood, cerulean eyes fluttering awake from a brief, unnoticed nap. Lady Eleanora was quick to pepper her son in kisses, Lord Eliwood responding with a bubbly giggle. Needless to say, I felt my heart flutter and I was able to truly feel the personal love Lord Elbert and Lady Eleanora oozed within that small room.  
  
Lord Eliwood and I shared eye contact. While mine had seen tiresome wars and battles and paperwork and business partners, my new Lord before me had only just begun to see the world and life ahead of him. Yet, even when my Lord becomes exposed to the horrors and sluggish nature of life as he ages, I knew it would be difficult for eyes of such a brilliant hue to lose that sparkle- that glimmer of curiosity and optimism and joy.  
  
“Of course, milord,” I replied, hesitantly breaking eye contact with Lord Eliwood to return to his father’s. Lord Elbert’s cheerful expression seemed to radiate further, vaguely-hidden tears beginning to bleed through his eyes. “Thank you, Marcus. It would be impossible for Eleanora and I to think of anyone more fit nor more reliable for this than you.” With a final pat on my shoulder, Lord Elbert approached his son and delicately kissed his forehead, whispering a quiet ‘farewell’ to him before exiting the room, undoubtedly to return to his lordly duties.  
  
Such a series of events quickly reminded me, too, of my own responsibilities. I reapproached Lady Eleanora, a foreign nervousness tickling my shoulders. “Milady.” I did not expect my voice to come out so shaken, but I made quick efforts to cover my fault with a cough. “Might I hold him? If I’m to take up this task, I feel as though it would be best if I get used to handling him.” Lady Eleanora looked at me with a joyous expression, and if I knew any better it looked as though she were about to laugh. Perhaps I had been too forward in my request to handle Lord Eliwood? He was born mere moments ago, perhaps he should spend a little more time in the arms of his mother opposed to the arms of his knight. Yet Lady Eleanora seemed to reject this concept, gladly nodding her head as she carefully extended Eliwood to me.  
  
“Make sure to support his head, Marcus,” she instructed. And as any good knight would, I complied with milady’s orders as I cradled Lord Eliwood in my arms. He greeted me with a look of confusion- although my hair was similar to his mother’s (to an extent anyhow), it was clear that I was not her. I feared that Lord Eliwood would soon turn me away, for perhaps he found fault in the position I was assigned to in being his caretaker. But he was quick to accept me, a toothless smile and a giggle rejecting the concept that Lord Eliwood would find only distaste in me. The unease in my arms faded as this point, and in its place was a pleasant warmth radiating throughout the rest of my body.  
  
When my parents had sent me away to become a knight of Pherae, I had little knowledge of what to expect. It has been nearly a decade since my arrival to Lord Elbert and Lady Eleanora’s doorstep, and since that day it has become my purpose to fulfill every one of their wishes and orders. As any good knight should do, I never intend to break that oath I made with them. I intend to continue my lifelong devotion to Lord Eliwood, and should I fail him I should fail as a knight as well.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector finally meet, and Marcus is assigned to monitor the two while Lords Uther and Elbert, and Lady Eleanora hold a meeting in the war room.

For years house Ostia and house Pherea have shared a bond that could easily spark jealousy among other houses- I dare say they had any disputes between them for centuries. Every so often, Lord Elbert would invite Lord Uther of Ostia to the castle. Predominantly, these meetings would discuss politics and business deals, but I would not doubt that Lord Elbert and Lady Eleanora had come to sincerely enjoy Lord Uther’s company.  
  
I was twenty-five years old during this particular visit between the houses. Ashera seems to have also taken note of the inspirational relationship between Ostia and Pherea, for there was seldom clouds in sight. It was not too blindingly bright, yet the balance of shadows and light was most pleasant as the sun’s rays glistened through our war room’s windows. It was almost an optimistic omen that the room would one day never have to be used for its initial intent. But, as I said, that is optimistic thinking and rather unrealistic.  
  
Whenever Lord Uther came to visit he brought little with him. Perhaps a luggage here and there with an escort to accompany him. However this particular visit I could tell would be something else, for by his side at the castle’s front doors was a young man. Similar to Lord Uther, he possessed dark cobalt-blue hair, slicked back in a futile attempt to look professional (most certainly done by Lord Uther himself), yet a strand here and there poked out along his hairline. His eyes matched in hue with his hair; dull blue, large eyes awkwardly glancing around the manor as he clutched to Lord Uther’s leg.  
  
“Lord Uther of Ostia!” Lord Elbert called from the main staircase, undoubtedly just finishing brushing himself up for his guests. Lady Eleanora followed suite with Lord Eliwood in her arms, offering a delicate bow opposed to a curtsy as she typically done. Lord Uther returned the greeting with similar fashion, obviously replacing his own name with that of milord’s, and the house of his with our own.  
  
The trio eventually met at the center of the foyer, lightly chattering about various topics as they always had. ‘I hope your trip was pleasant’ here, ‘You look wonderful this evening, Lady Eleanora,’ there- simple small talk that I had no permission to eavesdrop heavily upon. Of course, as milord’s main paladin, it was still necessary that I stood by the staircase with my spear in hands (though I severely doubt I would have any use for it this evening). I held little malice towards the concept of standing around for hours if it guaranteed my lords’ safety, but I assure you even the most veteran of knights grow tiresome. As the lords began to gradually make their way to the war room, I could see the child by Lord Uther’s side act up, earnestly tugging at his companion’s cape.  
  
As I had mentioned, I had no permission to eavesdrop on the discussion of lords- especially when they had nothing to do with me. But that did little to stop my curious eyes from observing the child make subtle gesture to Lord Eliwood in milady’s arms. As such a scene, Lady Eleanora’s eyes lit up and she looked over at me, shamefully catching me looking over at the small group.  
  
“Marcus, may you come here a moment?” With little hesitation both to respect milady and to satisfy my own curiosity of the situation, I briskly walked towards her, Lord Eliwood perking up at my approach while our similarly-aged guest stiffening at my approach. “We have some things to discuss, I’m sure you’re aware.” Lady Eleanora needed little else to say before I shifted my spear into one of my hands and prepared to cradle Lord Eliwood in the other.  
  
Lady Eleanora smiled at me and delicately shuffled her son into my arms, Lord Eliwood visibly accustomed to the situation as he was happy to start grabbing at my face once in my possession. I had already planned on embarking for the living room where I would read to Lord Eliwood until their business had concluded, but Lady Eleanora tugged at my spear arm, urging me to lean in closer to her. “I’m sure you’ve noticed Lord Uther’s guest, haven’t you?” It was quite hard not to, considering he was the only other child in the room other than milord. I offered another glance at him and where I expected him to shy away once more, he held my gaze firmly this time.  
  
Lord Uther seemed to sense the one-sided tension between us, for he tugged his cape out of his companion’s grip. “Hector, be nice. This is Marcus- a very good friend to Lord Elbert.” ‘Hector’ immediately became flustered upon Lord Uther’s explanation, offering a quiet ‘oh’ as he straightened up. “Forgive him; this is my little brother, Hector. He’s always been a bit cautious- but he means well.” If I am honest, I had little knowledge of Lord Uther’s family, but I suppose a younger sibling was not totally out of the question.  
  
As I predicted, Lord Uther soon asked of me, to put it bluntly, to babysit Lord Hector while he discussed with milords. When I had been sent to become a knight, I hardly imagined this to be within my field of work. But who was I to reject the requests of Lord, whether they are my own or another house’s.  
  
Lord Hector hardly seemed to be the kind of child to like being held, so I was grateful that I did not have to run to my quarters and place my spear back into its holster in order to carry him a few rooms away. Our two groups began to separate, the adults going off towards the west wing, while the children and I going to the east. But halfway out of the foyer, I felt Lord Eliwood struggle in my arms- something he has hardly done since infancy.  
  
“Milord?” I questioned. Perhaps he was uncomfortable with how I was holding him, so I shifted him a bit in my arms. Yet his struggling persisted and I was left thoroughly confused.  
  
“What’s wrong with him?” Lord Hector inquired- rather rudely, might I ask. “C’mon, say something!”  
  
I had the urge to glare at Lord Hector, but Lord Uther’s words resonated within my mind and I remembered that he was only a child (hopefully he will grow out of this behavior when he is older), so instead I placed my spear on the ground and held Lord Eliwood in both my arms. “What’s the matter, milord; do you need something?”  
  
Lord Eliwood glanced shyly up at me, fiddling with his gown. “Can you put me down?” He whispered, stuttering a little over his words.  
  
I could only assume Lord Eliwood was embarrassed due to the presence of another child, not to mention he himself hardly asks for anything. But I was more than delighted to set Lord Eliwood on the ground. Afterall, I could not spend the rest of my days carrying him about.  
  
Upon setting him down and reclaiming my spear, Lord Eliwood wobbled a bit but nonetheless made his way to Lord Hector’s side. The scene felt comforting to observe; Lord Hector displayed nothing but brash manners since his arrival, yet ever the optimist milord was, Lord Eliwood was willing to work past those ailments to ensure the bond between Pherea and Ostia as they grew older. Of course, I could not help but feel a bit anxious as well; Lord Eliwood has always been a delicate young man, and I am not sure I could explain to milady and Lord Uther if I had to return to them with him crying in my arms and an ashamed Hector trailing behind us.  
  
As the three of us neared the living room, I began to hear Lord Eliwood murmur to Lord Hector. Of course, I had no rights to the private conversations of lords- even if they were seven years old. However Lord Hector seemed to hold little regard for this idea as his voice held little restraint responding to milord. “Can you talk a little louder? How do you expect anyone to be able to talk to you if they can’t even hear you?”  
  
I had full intention of scolding Lord Hector as my eyebrows twitched. Once again, I had little intention of explaining to Lady Eleanora why her son was bawling his eyes out in the mere two minutes she left him alone with me and Lord Hector. Luckily, I would never have to confront such a situation, as milord cleared his throat and stood up a bit.  
  
“I said ‘how do you feel about Pherea so far?”  
  
Lord Hector gave a shrug in response, “It’s alright- not as cool as Ostia though.”  
  
I scoffed at Lord Hector’s response but did nothing more other than open the doorway to the living room, a fire already crinkling to life in the fireplace. As I moved my way to the bookshelf (setting my spear against the doorway), I was still exposed to the conversation between the young lords as they refused to quiet their voices. “What makes you say that? Pherea has so many pretty flowers and really pretty rivers! What’s Ostia like?”  
  
“I don’t know, I just like Ostia more. You guys don’t have a lot of mountains- mountains are cool. They’re so tall and scary, and they just show up out of nowhere!” As I reclaimed the small copy of The Lion and the Mouse off the shelf, the silence enveloping the room told me Lord Eliwood was considering Lord Hector’s response.  
  
“Well when you say it like that… But flowers and rivers are just as show-up-y too. Plus you can get really close to them without worrying about falling off them or getting cold,” Lord Eliwood argued.  
  
“What about falling into rivers? And there are bees by flowers; you could get stung!”  
  
Admittedly, I enjoyed the small banter between the two- it was setting them up to learn to handle the differentiating opinions that would undoubtedly spire between not only them, but with their future councils- even if their current discussion was simply about geography. However I wished to conclude the fairytale I currently held in my hands, so I stepped in between the two physically separating them. “All of those features are beautiful in their own right; mountains are bold and imposing, and they are able to provide protection to civilizations like Ostia. In turn, flowers and rivers are small and delicate, and while they might not have the immediate impression of life-preserving as a mountain might, rivers are able to give us water and provide life to fish, while flowers give life to some birds and insects. They’re both important to us and they both deserve respect.”  
  
The two gazed up at me, partially because they might have had to fully process what I had just said. Lord Hector just huffed at my statement and crossed his arms, shyly encouraging his argument to himself that ‘mountains are still better.’  
  
I could not help but to smile at Lord Hector’s childishness as I opened the book, returning to the page I had left off on. Before I could begin reading however, Lord Eliwood crawled over my lap to rejoin Lord Hector by his side. “Now that I think about it, mountains are pretty cool,” he confessed. Lord Hector looked up and at Lord Eliwood, his eyebrows slightly raised.  
  
“Well of course they are!” He replied, a smile ever so present on his young face, Lord Eliwood providing a small giggle in response. “What’s so funny?”  
  
Lord Eliwood just shook his head and began to situate himself in-between Lord Hector and myself. I had expected him to immediately start to cuddle into my side, but rather he sat upright comfortably, shuffling just a bit to fully adjust to his new sitting position.  
  
Lord Hector seemed to care little for seating arrangements, for he opted lay on the ground and to rest his elbows on milord’s lap, balancing his chin on his palms. Lord Eliwood was visibly disturbed for a moment, but he gradually accepted the position as I continued to read where we left off.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Lycian Allegiance is to meet within Pherea, and Marcus is assigned the role to, once more, look after the lords and ladies' children.

Subsequent to that meeting, Lord Uther’s visits never quite felt the same. I suspect it was due to the presence of Lord Eliwood and myself, but he seemed most eager to bring along younger Lord Hector with him whenever he arrived. It was clockwork within our abode; Lord Eliwood would bounce on his heels by the staircase when Lord Uther’s expected arrival came, his parents delightfully awaiting behind him. When our guests would arrive, Lord Eliwood would make an effort to restrain his excitement to greet Lord Hector, and I suspected the same was for the other- only he rejected the concept of restraint, rushing away from his brother to meet Lord Eliwood in the center of the foyer.  
  
I should have suspected as much; Lord Eliwood grew up as the only child of milords, not to mention there was seldom any children around to begin with. He was denied public schooling, for Lord Elbert wanted only the finest tutors for his son (which was respectable. After all, Lord Eliwood was to rule Pherea one day, it would only be right he was taught by the most educated scholars). Lord Hector making such a robust introduction must have shaken Lord Eliwood from his isolation and encouraged his inner flare to show forth, for it would be foolish to deny that over the years milord has become more confident (and even a tad snarky) due to the arrival of his new companion. Yes, even if I had my doubts with Lord Uther’s boisterous brother initially, I must admit I too have grown fond of his appearances- especially when I am able to see Lord Eliwood express himself with confidence and ooze with glee by his side.  
  
I was thirty years old at this time and I could feel three decades of life and service begin to affect me. I was not quite as nimble as I used to be and I find myself complaining of restlessness, and seeing bags begin to manifest beneath my eyes was not something I was ecstatic to wake up to. Regardless, my age and a few dents to my face would do little to hinder my servitude to my house- especially when I am merely thirty years of age; I still have plenty of time to adjust to my aging body and continue aiding my lords.  
  
Today’s meeting held particular importance, for not only was our dining hall put to use opposed to our stuffy war room we would be housing many more than the Ostians this evening. Worde, Ciaran, Ryerde- all other houses within the Lycian allegiance came to gather for the biannual assembly which would discuss each houses’ domestic conditions and would commentate on the surrounding areas’ political climates. On the topic of climates, I held some fear for today’s meeting, as the sky began to cloud and the occasional dribble of rain would meet our rooftops. Nonetheless, there was a delicate beauty and serenity to it, so I paid little attention nor annoyance to it.  
  
It seems that since my handling of Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood when they were younger, Lady Eleanora has insisted that I monitor not only those two, but all children of Lycia within the second dining hall. Of course I did not dare reject milady’s word- in fact I accepted it with, to my surprise to an extent, some glee. While the children could get out of hand and cause an infuriating ruckus, it certainly outdid standing outside of the dining hall for half the day doing particularly nothing but staring at the guard adjacent to me.  
  
After the humble greetings of lord to lord and lady to lady, each parent had began to dismiss and direct their child to me, where I stood beside the door ready to depart for the dining hall parallel to us. Some were gleeful to skip to my side while others were more resilient on staying beside their father and mother. These children needed but only a little coaxing from the parent, and soon enough they were dragging themselves to my side.

  


The children of Lycia had three years to accept me as their caretaker and for the most part they had. As I opened the oak doors to the second dining hall, the children neatly led themselves inside- for the most part. I began to count the heads of each child when I distinctly heard agitated grunts and huffs at the end of the line, easily taking sight of Lord Hector’s unique hair color. He seemed to be shoving alongside a brunette boy, Lord Eliwood unfortunately being stuck in the middle of the two doing what I could only assume as a futile attempt to separate them.  
  
I considered going over to the three and pulling them apart myself, of course following up with a proper scolding as this was absolutely not lordship behavior. My optimism however reigned over, and I hoped that the three would settle themselves out on their own (or, at the very least, Lord Eliwood somehow conjured up the strength to divide the two successfully. I doubted such a feat, as Lord Eliwood had recently come down with an illness, not to mention his already small frame against the bigger children).  
  
“I already told you big nose, Eliwood wants to sit next to me, not you!” Lord Hector barked, the only thing denying him from hitting the other child was the aforementioned lord in-between them. Lord Hector has garnered quite the reputation for being a rather hands-on child (which is an attribute debatably admirable), and he seemed to always desire to fight with anyone he met if they disagreed with him in the slightest. When it came to Lord Eliwood, I sensed there to be even more of a flare among him, for I could interpret his confliction with shoving Lord Eliwood to the side and meeting the other child face-to-face, or to spare harming his friend and simmer in his rage. In the right circumstances, Lord Hector was a desirable ally, but in this one I preferred he quell his passions.  
  
“Who are you calling big nose, ugly?! We have practically the same nose shape you knucklehead!” The other child retorted (and a rather weak argument, for it was easy to realize he too called himself ‘ugly’), making notably a less considerate effort to spare Lord Eliwood of physical damage, as he was pushing milord right into Lord Hector’s side. “Besides, how do you know what Eliwood wants! I’ve known him longer, isn’t that right Eliwood?” Among the sea of other children, I would hardly see the child’s face (especially when other children had taken note of the debacle and began to cluster at the spectacle), yet I could clearly hear a victorious smirk in his voice.  
  
I ushered the nearest children within the dining hall and began to make my way to the end of the line, fully intending to cease their arguing. However, after moments of silence from milord, once more I was delightfully surprised to hear his shaky voice boom throughout the foyer. “Leave Hector alone, Erik! I don’t care if I’ve known you longer- you’re so mean!”  
  
Stopping in my tracks, I could hear gentle whispers spread among the children, coupled with a few ‘ooh’s’ of disbelief. Lord ‘Erik’ seemed to stop his struggling against milord, for I could hear his delicate stuttering as he attempted to muster an argument.  
  
“Eliwood, how can you say that? We’ve been friends for years! I’ve always had your back and I’ve always been there for you.”  
  
As I neared the calming trio, Lord Eliwood shook his head in earnest, shuffling closer to a proud Hector. “I don’t care! All you talk to me about is taking after your dad, and about yourself. I don’t want to talk about only you, I want to talk about things I like- things we like. Like what friends are supposed to do!” After Lord Eliwood’s outburst, Lord Erik made little effort to argue against his friend (though I would not doubt that title be changed to ‘ex-friend’ at this rate- but for the sake of future relations I do hope Lord Eliwood finds it in his heart to be professional later on) and edged away from the two.  
  
The foyer was quiet, a deathly silence only accompanied by the raining pattering against the castle windows. I began to accompany the remaining children inside, however keeping Lord Eliwood isolated and behind the others. Lord Eliwood jumped a little when I outstretched my arm in-between him and Lord Hector, shooing Lord Hector inside. “We will only be a minute, Lord Hector,” I reassured him. He looked as though he was about to start a fight with me, but Lord Eliwood piped up and too reassure him it would be alright, and that he should be more concerned with saving a seat for him.  
  
With less resistance, Lord Hector left the dining hall’s doorway, and chose to sit in the chair nearest to the door (undoubtedly trying to eavesdrop).  
  
“Marcus,” Lord Eliwood stuttered, tears beginning to well in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell all of that! I just-” he tried to compose himself, continuing to sputter and hesitate on his explanation. “I never realized how bad of a friend Erik was until I met Hector.” At this point he began to cry freely, and I did not hesitate to crouch down to milord’s level and soothe him. “Hector’s just always wanted to know how I felt and wanted to know what I liked. He’s always been really nice to me and he’s always wanted to make sure I was OK or-”  
  
I shushed my lord by gently holding his face, wiping away the cascading tears with my thumb. “Lord Eliwood, it’s alright. I’m not upset with you.” Milord had some doubts in my words, for his tears continued to prosper and coat my gloved thumbs with salty tears.  
  
“But I yelled at someone! I yelled at one of daddy’s friend’s kids. He’s going to hate me when I’m older and-”  
  
“Enough, Lord Eliwood,” I urged. “It’s important to have good relations, yes. But it’s also important to stand up for yourself- and for your most trusted allies. If you know that you did no wrong and you know that your companions did no wrong, you should feel no shame in asserting your opinion.”  
  
I was grateful to see milord’s tears began to cease as he wiped the remainders away himself. “I shouldn’t?”  
  
I shook my head and patted him on the head, rubbing his shoulder and feeling my chest bubble with glee. “No, milord. In fact, you should feel pride. Forgive me, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so passionate about your stance and for that I must commend you.” At this rate, it would have been a futile attempt on my part to subdue my smile.  
  
Lord Eliwood’s face began to flush further as he looked over my shoulder to where Lord Hector sat. While I could not see him myself, I was positive his eyes were stubbornly fixated on us. With the last of his tears drying, he looked back up at me and returned my grin. “You’re right, Marcus. In fact, I’m going tell Erik how much of a gross frog he is right now!”  
  
A tad bit of panic spiked in replacement of my joy as Lord Eliwood dashed away from me, giggling as he was once again reunited with Lord Hector. At their reunion, I sincerely hoped that they would be discussing affairs entirely different, and were not currently conjuring some revenge plan against poor Lord Erik. I certainly would not want to explain to Lord Darin why his son was in tears, a mischievous Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood happily following us.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pherean family and Marcus make their way and settle in Lord Uther's manor to meet for an oathe among the lords of Lycia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hOO sorry i took a while to update. i ran into a plotpoint that contradicted canon but then i realized A.) this is fanfiction i can do what i want and B.) i already fucked in chapter 1 it's fine. my head was a lil groggy when i wrote this and im buttfuck tired but i hope this is still adequate- shit starts to pick up next chapter.

A mere year had subsided since the lords of Lycia met in my lord’s home, and now it would our turn to venture outside of our borders to visit another’s house, our carriage being the victim to a mirage of heavy raindrops as we road along the countryside. I peered outside of the window, nothing but a sea of shadows drowning out the sun’s once shimmering rays. Needless to say, I was disheartened at the sight.

I returned my gaze to inside the carriage, observing Lord Eliwood absent-mindedly fidgeting with his thumbs as the occasional cough roused from his chest. Such behavior was not atypical of him; despite Lord Eliwood’s sudden display of courage to Lord Erik a year ago, he still has yet to completely shatter his awkward ticks. Yet the coughing was new; it had spurred up a few weeks ago, but I suspect it is nothing more than a mere cold, especially with the severe rainfall that had ambushed Pherea as of late. Additionally, milord was not too sturdy, I must admit, and was powerless to sickness and bruises easily. 

“Everything all right, milord?” Lord Eliwood jumped at my voice (I suspect he had been quite entranced in whatever he was thinking about) and offered me some attention. He offered me a quiet hum as his response, his eyes looking awfully tired now that I was close enough to truly see his face better than usual. 

I noted his behavior while, as if to check if my words were true, he looked down at his hands and confirmed that they were in fact interlocked, his right thumb delicately circling over his left. He was quick to separate his hands, adjusting his robe and messing with his bangs in a rather endearing display of embarrassment at being caught do something rather minute. He concluded his method of concealing his actions with a rather brutal cough, clutching his fist to his mouth. “Ah, Marcus- don’t worry. You know how I am during long rides.”

“Of course I am. Frankly, I wouldn’t be a good knight if I wasn’t capable of noticing my liege’s habits,” I commented, idly noting his stubbornness to meet my gaze. As beautiful as the world outside typically was, I sincerely doubted Lord Eliwood found much delight in watching rivers overflood with rainwater. 

Lord Eliwood’s chuckle lacked the sincere humor it was usually no stranger to as he remained fixated on the outside, raindrops displaying their politeness as they greeted him at the window pane, his thumb once more fidgeting alongside his fist.

“Milord-” I began, hoping to obtain direct attention from him. Nevertheless, he began to twiddle his thumbs once more and stare outside. I sighed and settled on placing my hand on his knee (which certainly did the trick of knocking him out of his trance, for I could clearly see his shoulders tense and his lips tighten).

“What ails you, my liege? We have been on countless rides together, yet I have but seen you so nervous only now.” Lord Eliwood turned his attention towards my retreating hand, his left fist opening and closing in presumed anticipation.

“I’m just-” he paused, his eyes shifting from one side of the carriage to the other. “Concerned. Yes, that’s it!” Lord Eliwood seemed rather eager about this conclusion as his face lit up with a strained smile, not even a cough here or there could disrupt his ‘glee’. “This whole ‘rite of oaths’ thing is pretty important, yes? I’m just worried about messing things up for Father. That’s all, Marcus.” The carriage rocked against a few sturdy stones, Lord Eliwood meeting my gaze for a few moments before resting his head against the window he delivered a rather heavy cough. I made a mental reminder to myself to have this part of the road better cleared of stones.

“Milord, I can assure you that you could do no such thing! You have certainly been one of the most pleasant of children that I have been blessed to meet- if anything, you would make other lords envious of Lord Elbert and his son.” While I was enthusiastic about my praises to Lord Eliwood, the receiver did not seem to be so keen, for he simply nodded his head and providing me with a quiet murmur of agreement. As I watched Lord Eliwood bid the last of Pherea farewell behind us, I considered pressing the matter forward as he continued to cough and shelter himself from me. While I was sincere in saying Lord Eliwood was nothing but an angel in the flesh, I was not so sure the lords gathered at Ostia would be so jealous of a sulking, ill child. But Ostia was weeks away- Lord Eliwood would get over his anxieties in the meantime, and I pray this illness.

In all honesty, I had very seldom visited Ostia myself; I was a knight of Pherea and my primary station resided within her walls, not that of the impenetrable fortress now before me. Ostia was a powerful city- both in a military sense and its decor. As I had mentioned before, I was a stranger to Ostia, so perhaps the erected statues depicting ancient heroes with luscious flowers at their feet was for ceremonial purposes only.

Among other lords and ladies of Lycia I accompanied Lord Elbert, Lady Eleanora, and Lord Eliwood inside the main castle where Lord Uther was eager to greet us within his foyer as Lord Uther and Lord Elbert were quick to greet each other, offering the other a handshake and a firm hug with Lady Eleanora being provided a gentle kiss to her knuckle. I had an quiet note of Lord Hector trailing behind Lord Uther, his lax shoulders contradicting his brother’s poised and uniform posture.

“Lord Elbert and Lady Eleanora of Pherea- always a delight to see you two within my home! I pray your travels faired well for you?” Lord Uther began, allowing his arms to rest folded behind his back.

“I would be displeased to find myself being dishonest with you Lord Uther; our route here was plagued with rainfall and rather difficult mudslides, I am afraid,” Lord Elbert confessed. Personally, I found it would be better to have simply said that the trip was ‘well’, but Lord Elbert had always been honest to a fault. “Though I find it difficult to find myself to share the weather’s gloomy behavior when I am able to see such a beautiful city again.”

Lord Uther smiled, clearly pleased to have heard that the hardships were worth visiting his abode. “Come along then- we need only wait for a few more guests to arrive, then we may begin our oath. Hector-” 

“You want me to go with Marcus, right?” Lord Hector finished, already making his way to my right. Lord Uther smiled and tousled his brother’s hair (much to Lord Hector’s displeasure as pulled his head away from his brother’s invading hand).

“As bright as ever, Hector. Take them to the dining room, and once the others have arrived- I just ask you be on your best behavior.” Hector rolled his eyes and waved a dismissive hand in the air.

“Whatever you say, Uther.” Beside Lady Eleanora, I could hear Lord Eliwood suppress a giggle (and a cough), permitting Lord Hector’s pout to be replaced by a proud grin.

While Lord Uther and Lord Elbert started to make their way to a corridor in the west wing, Lady Eleanora approached me with Lord Eliwood standing close to her, his eyes occasionally shifting from my right to some other part of the home.

Lady Eleanora smiled at me, but I suspected that it was very little of happiness but rather pity. “Marcus-”

“I am aware, milady.” I hardly interrupted anyone above my station, nevertheless my lord and his lady. But this routine of transferring Lord Eliwood to me during meetings had become regular- I doubted Lady Eleanora was not able to find the situation humorous as well and minded very little. I outstretched my hand for Lord Eliwood to take and, as per usual, he did so much as that, making himself quiet comfortable next to me on my left side.

“Where would we be without you, Marcus?” Lady Eleanora joked, crouching down to be leveled with her son and kissing his forehead (which he accepted with some timidness- undoubtedly because his friend had rejected his own family's affection). “I’m sure Uther’s other guests will need you to watch their children as well but… I would hope you don’t mind at this point.”

“Nonsense, milady. Whatever you ask of me I will have it done without hesitation. But I do hope my position won’t permanently be ‘royal babysitter.”

Lady Eleanora chuckled and lightly pushed my shoulder, a smile creeping its way onto my lips. “Of course not, dear. I just ask that you hold that position for, perhaps- three more years?” It would be fruitless to deny that I had a complete smile at this point, the visual of me amidst a group of teenagers being both humorous and, quite frankly, unsettling.

With a final glance at her son, Lady Eleanora made her way to the west wing where her husband and our host were waiting for the rest of the members to appear. Being a stranger to Lord Uther’s manor, I allowed Lord Hector to lead Lord Eliwood and I to the east side of the castle. Lord Hector made casual remarks about his estate (mostly talking about how pompous it looked) and I felt Lord Eliwood’s grip on my hand gradually slip away as he joined his friend’s side. I trailed behind Ostia and Pherea’s future leaders, giddily chat the brief walk away and praying Lord Eliwood does not accidentally spread whatever sickness he has onto Lord Hector- quite honestly, getting the marquess's younger brother sick during a diplomatic trip did not sound too promising, even if he would understand it to be a pure accident born from two friends wishing to become closer.


End file.
